ABSTRACT

Over time new inventions and discoveries have taken place in bringing advancement to technology So the society people and their mentality gets adapted to the technological advancement The things used by them get modified so do their tastes Similarly there is also a huge change in the environment architecture the spaces they use the type of food they have etc

Considering these changes in the society there is also a huge change in the way a TEMPLE a place of worship is related to the society Over centuries the temples function changed from a social institution to a place of community gathering though there is no considerable change in its design Is it due to imitation of the architectural form from one generation to other Does this piece of architecture tells us about the society of this period as other pieces of architecture do Does it still show the advancement in the technology Is it still run under high patronage This dissertation attempts to deliberate upon these issues and to arrive on a solution on how a contemporary temple should look like

INTRODUCTION

In Hinduism TEMPLE mandir is a structure that houses the gods Encyclopaedia It was designed to be used as a focus for all aspects of life namely religious cultural educational and social It helps a visitor to transcend from his world so that he connects with the supreme authority the GOD They are also taken as places of enlightenment and liberation Hence the principles of designing temples were derived keeping everything in mind

Initially the temple did function the way it was designed to be

A piece of architecture is said to reflect the time and the type of society to which it belongs There is a change in everything around us We started living and working in multi storey apartments with glass facades leaving behind the huts and bungalows But a considerable change in temples is not witnessed After the development of the temple typology later was just imitation or embellishment

In real world of architectural construction temples were built by imitation one generation copying the predecessor or one rival architect but always with some minor modifications to keep client interest alive Oijevaar 2007

IMPORTANCE OF TEMPLE IN THE PAST

A Temple was once the most important building in the society It proved to be the divine power the tallest building in the society The king paid patronage to the construction of it It also symbolised the power and richness of the kingdom Hence a huge land was allocated and a huge amount of money was commissioned in the construction Lot of masons engineers sculptors and labourers were engaged in its design and execution

The making of a temple was a big fair which continued over years depending on the hugeness of the temple There are temples that were built over the reins of two to three dynasties

The making of temple was also a mode of employment in the kingdom

DESIGN DERIVATION

Temples marked the transition of the Vedic religion into Hinduism The notion of symbolising everything important with a human figure and making idols to worship them led to the emergence of a TEMPLE

Initially the typology was inspired from the Buddhist architecture The first remarkable temple the Durga Temple at Aiholi was said to be a chaitya hall with a peek on the top The notion of cave in a mountain was imitated by the architects of that period which led to the development of an inner sanctum or garbha griha a place where the idol was placed A pillared hall known as mandapa was designed in front of it so that people can stand and worship Hence the initial temple was just a building made as a replica of a cave in a mountain with just two rooms namely garbha griha for the idol and a mandapa for other activities respectively These were square rooms square taken as a holy shape according to vastu shastra covered with a slab above so that the devotees are not disturbed by any external elements The examples of such temples are f